Collector for electric railways



(No Model.)

L. J. HIRT.

COLLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. No. 583,575. Patented June 1,1897.

NITED STATES LOUIS J. IIIRT, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

COLLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettere Patent No. 583,575, dated J' une 1, 189'?. Application ledSeptember 6, 1895. Serial IIo. 561,602. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, t Htcty concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS J. HIRT, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collectors for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to those electric railways in which the electric conductor which conveys the electricity is contained in a conduit below the level of the street; and it consists of a novel construction of the contactplow or collector by which the current is conveyed from the conductor to the motor.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my improvement, Figure l is a side elevation of the plow. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the plow in position in the conduit. Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 4 is a modification.

My improvement consists, essentially, in a plow having a series of contact-points on the supply-conductors, and, furthermore, in a plow provided with appliances for cleaning and brightening the conductor, whereby a more effectual contact is made and the passage of the electric iuid from the conductor to the motor on the car is facilitated.

The drawings show the preferable form of myilnprovement. As there seen the upper part of the plow consists of a metal frame formed of the side strips a, a, connected to which are thin metal plates a a', fastened together so as to leave spaces for conductingstrips b b, which extend through the plow. On both sides of the lower portion of the metal frame are secured wooden panels c c, which completely inclose the lower end of the frameand project some distance below it. Between the lower end of the wooden panels and projecting some distance beyond it is secured an insulating-plate d, formed of any suitable insulating material. The wooden panels are shown bolted to the metal plateau and to the insulating-plate d, but they may be fastened in any suitable manner. To the bottom of the wooden panels on each side of the plow are secured a series of spring-plates c, formed to flare outward and provided on three ends with contact-shoesf. The bottom of the insulating-plate d should project below the line of the contact-shoes or lower ends of the plates e, so as to completely insulate the plates on the opposite ends of the plow from each other. In the construction shown in the drawings there are three of these contact-plates c on each side of the plow, as I have found that number gives the best results, but the number maybe varied if found desirable. Leading from the contact-shoesf are conducting-wires h h, which extend back to the insulating-plate land connect with the conducting-strips b, which project from the wooden panels on the side of the plate d.

The plow thus constructed is suspended in the conduit from the car in the usual manner, so that the contact-shoes on the ends of the spring-plates c rest and bear against the electric conductors l in the conduit, and the connection is made with the motor in any suitable manner. By means of the insulating-plate o7rv between the series of contactplates c on each side of the plow the electricity gathered by the contact-plates on one side cannot pass tothe other side without passing through the plow, and thus through the motor, and the wooden panels effectually insulate the contact-plates from the metal frame ce d and prevent the escape and loss of the electric fluid.

-It frequently occurs that, owing to dampness or some such cause, the plow will slide along the electrical conductor in the conduit and not make a complete contact with the latter. With my improved construction, by reason of the three contact-points on the conductor, the contact of the plow is certain-to be sure and complete, as if the iirst shoe f does not make a sufficient contact the other shoes following immediately after it are certain todo so, and any dampness which may be on the wire will be removed by the rst shoe or contact-point, leaving the electrical conductor clean for the other and following shoes.

In Fig. 4 is shown a modified construction in which one of the shoes f is replaced by a brush for cleaning the electrical conductor. This brush, as it is on the plowitself, While it is designed merely to remove any dampness or dirt from the conductor, in no wise affects the iiow of the electricity or causes any loss of IOC) the latter, as any electric fluid taken olif by the brush or cleaner merely liows through the plow in the usual manner.

1. In an electric collector for railroads, in colnbin ation, the frames aand d, Wooden panels c, conductingstrips b whereby the current is conveyed from the contacbplates through the plow, and a series of contact-plates e on each side of the plow, substantially as described.

2. In an electric collector for railroads, in

combination, a frame Suspended from the car, a series of contact-plates e on each side of the frame and insulated therefrom, conducting-strips whereby the current is conveyed from the contact-plates through the collector, and the insulatorcl between the series of contact-plates on each side of the frame, substantially as described.

LOUIS J. IIIRT.

Ti tnesses: JAMES N. LAW, J. E. GREER. 

